Templates for Tracking Projects
The following templates include sheets, widgets, and outlines that can help you present an overview of the project to stakeholders. These templates are always great tools to monitor progress as you execute the project.
For a full range of options, explore our comprehensive list of project management templates and articles.
Project Management Plan Template
Download the Project Management Plan Template for Excel
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to organize all the tasks required to successfully implement a project. This template allows you to track deliverables and due dates across the entire project lifecycle, from approval to closing.
Notable Template Features: This template includes dedicated sections to organize tasks by project phase: project approval, project planning, project execution, and project close. The layout makes it easy to list each item and its corresponding due date.
For enhanced features — such as real-time updates and improved collaboration — check out the Smartsheet project management plan template.
If you’re just getting started, learn how to create a project plan.
Integrated Project Plan (IPP) Template
Download Integrated Content Project Plan Template - Excel
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to create a detailed project plan that combines a task list with a visual schedule. It’s a great tool for tracking responsibilities, due dates, and project costs in a single, integrated document.
Notable Template Features: This template includes a Gantt chart that visually represents your project schedule based on the task list, responsible parties, and due dates. It also contains separate sheets for a cost baseline and a communication plan.
Check out other useful project plan templates.
Project Management Plan Outline Template
Download a Project Management Plan Outline Template for
Microsoft Word
| Google Docs
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to structure a comprehensive project management plan that consolidates all key project components. This template helps ensure that the team accounts for all subdocuments and planning details in one place.
Notable Template Features: This template provides a detailed outline that prompts you to define the project scope, a work breakdown structure (WBS), and a milestone list. Its design allows you to either write all details in one document or link to separate planning files.
Review helpful real-world project plan examples.
Project Management Plan Dashboard Template
Download the Project Management Plan Dashboard Template for Excel
When to Use This Template: Project managers and stakeholders can use this template to visualize important project metrics in a single summary view. Use it to monitor task status, track spending, and review pending items.
Notable Template Features: This template features a task list that automatically updates a corresponding Gantt chart as work progresses. It also includes dashboard widgets that summarize task status by percentage, budget performance, and pending action items.
Resource Requirement Calendar Chart Template
Download a Resource Requirement Calendar Chart Template for
Excel
| Google Sheets
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to plan and visualize human resource allocation over a full year. Use it to forecast staffing needs and ensure the right roles are available each month to support the project.
Notable Template Features: This template includes a table to map out the required hours per month for each project role, such as project manager, developer, and test engineer. A bar chart automatically displays the monthly resource requirements for an at-a-glance view of staffing levels.
Templates for Researching and Preparing a Project Plan
The following project management planning templates can help you as you determine and document the tasks and resources required to complete a project.
Project Scope Statement Template
Download the Project Scope Statement Template for Microsoft Word
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to formally define project boundaries and deliverables before work begins. It’s a great tool for preventing scope creep by clearly documenting objectives, constraints, and assumptions for all stakeholders.
Notable Template Features: This template provides a structured format with sections for project deliverables, out-of-scope items, assumptions, and time, budget, quality, and regulatory constraints. It also includes space to list project tasks needed to create the deliverables.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Diagram Template
Download the Work Breakdown Structure Diagram Template for Excel
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to break down a large project into smaller, more manageable tasks. Use it to visually map out all the work required to complete a project’s deliverables.
Notable Template Features: This template includes two formats: a fill-in-the-blank diagram that creates a hierarchical view of the project, and a corresponding indented task list. Teams can use both formats to understand the relationship between major efforts and individual tasks.
Stakeholder Management Plan Template
Download a Stakeholder Management Plan Template for
Excel
| Smartsheet
When to Use This Template: Use this template to identify individuals or groups with an interest in your project and to plan how to communicate with them. It helps project managers understand stakeholder influence and develop an effective engagement strategy.
Notable Template Features: This template provides columns to list stakeholders, roles, level of interest, and motivation for being involved with the project. It also features a stakeholder analysis matrix to create a visual evaluation of the commitment and influence level for each stakeholder.
Cost Estimate and Projected Budget Template
Download a Cost Estimate and Projected Budget Template for
Microsoft Word
|
Adobe PDF
When to Use This Template: Project teams can use this template to document the process for determining, managing, and adjusting a project budget. Use it to formalize your cost management procedures and define spending authority.
Notable Template Features: This template provides a table to identify who can approve spending limit breaches. It also includes sections to describe your budgeting procedure, cost baseline, change control process, and the proposed budget.
Risk Assessment Templates
Project Risk Management Plan Template
Download a Project Risk Management Plan Template for
Excel
| Smartsheet
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to formally identify, analyze, and plan mitigation actions for project risks. Use it to document potential problems related to deadlines, scope, quality, or vendors.
Notable Template Features: This template includes a risk matrix and rating keys to assess risk likelihood and severity. It also provides a table to detail each task, deadline, risk level, and status, with summary statistics for the overall project.
Project Resource Plan Template
Download a Project Resource Plan Template for
Excel
| Smartsheet
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to list and schedule the equipment, supplies, and staffing needed to complete a project. It helps teams plan for shared resources and allocate them effectively across project phases.
Notable Template Features: This template provides a timeline to visualize project phases and lists required resources by department, role, and pay rate. The spreadsheet format makes it easy to schedule hardware, software, and personnel over time.
Project Executive Summary Template
Download a Project Executive Summary Template for
Excel
| Smartsheet
When to Use This Template: Use this template to write a high-level summary of a project plan for stakeholders and leadership. The intention is to create this document last, after you’ve finalized all other planning details.
Notable Template Features: This customizable template includes dedicated sections for major milestones, project status, key issues to be solved, and new requests. You can add or remove summary components to fit the needs of your project.
Templates for Implementing and Managing a Project Plan
The example project management plans below will help you solve problems, communicate with your team and stakeholders, and ensure quality deliverables as you implement the project.
Project Governance Template
Download a Project Governance Template for
Excel
|
Microsoft Word
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to define how a project will be conducted and who is responsible and accountable for tasks. Use it to establish a clear framework for decision-making, issue escalation, and quality assurance.
Notable Template Features: This template provides an outline for project scope, requirements, and tasks. It also features a RACI (responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed) matrix, a process for managing and escalating issues, and space to link to the resumes of key personnel
Communication Plan Template
Download the Communication Plan Template for Microsoft Word
When to Use This Template: Use this template to document how, when, and to whom project information will be distributed. It helps ensure that both internal and external stakeholders are kept informed on project goals and changes.
Notable Template Features: This template features a simple table structure with columns to list stakeholders, their areas of interest, required information, and the planned message format and frequency.
Chronological or Simple Timeline Template
Download a Chronological or Simple Timeline Template for
Excel
| Smartsheet
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to track required activities for a simple project. It works well for capturing tasks and subtasks and for showing how those activities relate to each other over time.
Notable Template Features: This template includes a task list that automatically populates a corresponding Gantt chart timeline. Define tasks, assign owners, set due dates, and view the project schedule in one place.
Gantt Timeline Template
Download a Gantt Timeline Template for
Excel
| Smartsheet
When to Use This Template: Project managers can use this template to create a dynamic timeline for a more complex project. Use it to track dependencies between tasks and highlight key milestones for the entire team.
Notable Template Features: This template provides a detailed Gantt chart that can serve as the central timeline for your project. It allows you to add milestones to the timeline and visually represent dependencies among different tasks.
Change Management Process Template
Download a Change Management Process Template for
Microsoft Word
|
Adobe PDF
When to Use This Template: Use this template to create a consistent process for reviewing, implementing, and tracking adjustments to a project. It provides a visual tool to help teams define how they will manage change.
Notable Template Features: This template features a flowchart that visually maps out the entire change management process. It covers the key stages: suggesting changes, reviewing proposals, planning implementation, and assessing the final results.
Test Plan Template
Download the Test Plan Template for Excel
When to Use This Template: Quality assurance (QA) teams can use this template to create and document a test plan for a product or deliverable. It is particularly well-suited for Agile product development but can be adapted to any management approach.
Notable Template Features: This template includes a simple table to track test cases. It provides columns for the test ID, description, expected result, actual result, pass/fail status, and tester comments.
Other Helpful Project Management Templates
Other documents and plans can help you describe the unique aspects of your project plan. Here is a selection of links to supporting samples and templates:
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